Monday, 6 April 2009

MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY KNITWEAR STUDENTS DO THEIR OWN THING.

We were delighted when Ted Houghton asked us to set a project for the Middlesex Knitwear students. Our brief was to produce one or more photos, showing 'moments' with knitting. The moment could be modeling knits at a wild party, knitting in a more private mood, or taking their knits into complete fantasy. What ever the circumstances, we wanted the students to make whatever they craved, and show us how they enjoyed the results. And that is exactly what most of them did!

Hoi likes to party! Whilst putting her make up on, she thinks about what to wear. Her friends are getting ready at the same time, and later in the evening, they will all meet up in the ladies and re-apply their make up. Hoi made a make-up bag from re-cycled plastic bags, a lipstick, a muscara, a perfume bottle and a powder brush and powder compact. Brilliant idea because those powder brushes cost a fortune in the shops.

Nilay was feeling the winter blues and tackled it with a cosy scarf and ear muffs resembling summer flowers. She was the only blossom in the park on that bleak day!

Laura's Pixelated Poncho is an absolute bargin in these desperate times. If the credit crunch is getting you down, the weather is rubbish, and you find yourself on the run, then why not PIXELATE YOURSELF and disappear completely? How genius and useful. We all want one.

Ashleigh makes textiles sumptuous. Her floral ear muffs and bracelet are dosed with essential oils of lavender and vanilla, which after 1 min 30 seconds in the microwave will sooth away the spring and winter head colds.

Holly's Shrooms are 'Funky Fresh and Fungal!' They can grow anywhere, and be worn or displayed in many ways. Holly has experimented with lots of different stitches and enjoyed mixing a whole new world of colour.

The brief we set was to show yourself having a good time, out with your knitting, but there was also a clause for the Ornamental Hermit, which Salma became, looking gloriously comfortable draped in knitted forms in the comfort of her home.Sue understands that through the meduim of knitting, we can meditate, dream and eventually go any where we want to. So off she went and found an Owl and a Piggy with a ring in it's nose (not pictured here, I'm sorry, it was a brilliant touch Sue,) made some masks, knitted a substantial anchor on a chunky chain, and they set sail on a boat with some green bits on it. She created a brilliant scene and we wish them every success on their journey with knitting.

And what better way to finish this story than with Avril and her Candy Floss Crochet and Candy Cover Up. Avril and her friends have proved the point we wanted to make. Knitting can be an odd profession. When Louise and I were at college we had to mount our textile samples on pieces of white card, which was fine, but it gave little chance to show how the piece was worn. We love Avril's picture, because even though we can't see the knitting very well with all the merry goings on, we know how it made her feel, how she envisioned herself being when the yarn turned her on. It's a photo that leaves us wanting more....

Well done Middlesex Students, keep putting the love into the yarn, have a good time, follow your dreams and continue to sell good ideas. Hope to see you soon. x